How the heck do they deserved to get sacked? They are still the best team in the world, thanks partly to the coaching staff. The players are only half the team. I think NZ Rugby is in a good state at present. Yeah, we are out but it doesn't mean that NZ Rugby is going to die.

Hard to justify that.

The players were taken out of first half of the Super 14 to prepare for this. 2 SA teams competed in the final. A banner day for SA rugby and not exactly showing NZ rugby in a brilliant state.

Hard to call a team the best in the World when they got knocked out in the Quarters and didnt look like they deserved to win.

Very disappointing as I wanted SA to beat them in the final.

Given recent results, the Argies by way of knockout the best team in the world?

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How the heck do they deserved to get sacked? They are still the best team in the world, thanks partly to the coaching staff. The players are only half the team. I think NZ Rugby is in a good state at present. Yeah, we are out but it doesn't mean that NZ Rugby is going to die.

I agree I think all this focus on the world cup really devalues test matches & series'. I hope this loss doesn't erase some outstanding rugby by the All Blacks in the last 4 years. There is only the lions that do 3 test tours (that mean anything) anymore, which is a little sad.

How the heck do they deserved to get sacked? They are still the best team in the world, thanks partly to the coaching staff. The players are only half the team. I think NZ Rugby is in a good state at present. Yeah, we are out but it doesn't mean that NZ Rugby is going to die.

It's the same as your England football team. The management are expected to win the World Cup for New Zealand, if they don't, they're gone. The coach knows this when he takes the job, and considering it was our worst World Cup ever, it doesn't leave them much option.

I agree I think all this focus on the world cup really devalues test matches & series'. I hope this loss doesn't erase some outstanding rugby by the All Blacks in the last 4 years. There is only the lions that do 3 test tours (that mean anything) anymore, which is a little sad.

Who cares about a test series? It's all about the World Cup which is the same in every sport.

For example, does anyone remember now that Australia lost the VB Series in the cricket? It doesn't matter because they won the World Cup.

Haha, I'm now feeling a small amount of confidence that England can get through to the final as they have a good chance of bulldozing France's pack similar to how they dealt with Australia's pack. What.A.Day!

Gutted for NZ though, can't believe they haven't even got to the semis when they were such favourites.

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Who cares about a test series? It's all about the World Cup which the same in every sport.

For example, does anyone remember now that Australia lost the VB Series in the cricket? It doesn't matter because they won the World Cup.

I remember when New Zealand won a 3 test series in South Africa for the 1st time with Sean Fitzpatrick punching the floor in joy. I think Fitzpatrick rated it higher than the 1987 world cup win. The 1st 2 tests in that series were played at a higher intesity & quality any world cup could manage.

For example, does anyone remember now that Australia lost the VB Series in the cricket? It doesn't matter because they won the World Cup.

It does matter, it just pales in comparison.

England were magnificent in beating Australia I felt, they were the far better side and looked really hungry. I was surprised to see them actually come out and play rugby, they wanted to attack and defended stoutly. Full credit to them for the win, they deserved it.

As expected, IMO atleast, the All Blacks lost. The French team played well, but we played poorly. The refereeing was average, but I'm not going to blame that, as it would make us and the entire country come across as poor losers. If anything should take blame, I feel that the rest and rotation policy is the one in the firing line. I've never been a fan of resting your top players, and entire All Blacks management and setup just assumed that we would win this game, and we'd only have to play our top team for three games in a row. McCaw should stay as captain, but I'm undecided about Henry and co. Some would say they deserve to be sacked, purely because we lost, but that is absolutely bull**** reasoning, IMO.

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Was watching the game with my NZ mate and he was livid that Carter was playing as he's been carrying an injury and apparently isn't on good form, he also thinks Nick Evans is extremely underrated and deserved to start.

As expected, IMO atleast, the All Blacks lost. The French team played well, but we played poorly. The refereeing was average, but I'm not going to blame that, as it would make us and the entire country come across as poor losers. If anything should take blame, I feel that the rest and rotation policy is the one in the firing line. I've never been a fan of resting your top players, and entire All Blacks management and setup just assumed that we would win this game, and we'd only have to play our top team for three games in a row. McCaw should stay as captain, but I'm undecided about Henry and co. Some would say they deserve to be sacked, purely because we lost, but that is absolutely bull**** reasoning, IMO.

I agree with you there, Perm.

On everything but one thing. Henry deserves the boot for making a needless farce out of this year's Super 14 and making sure that the paying New Zealand public didn't get to see their best and most popular players competing in the toughest domestic rugby competition there is.

Was watching the game with my NZ mate and he was livid that Carter was playing as he's been carrying an injury and apparently isn't on good form, he also thinks Nick Evans is extremely underrated and deserved to start.

Carter hasn't been on form for months and months now, and his kicking has gone to pieces. I'd have had McAlister at first five going into the match.

Fair play to France though, they played their kicking game and kept it in the forwards which suited them.

On everything but one thing. Henry deserves the boot for making a needless farce out of this year's Super 14 and making sure that the paying New Zealand public didn't get to see their best and most popular players competing in the toughest domestic rugby competition there is.

Didn't the Saffies make a farce out of the Tri Nations? Should their coaching team be sacked also?

I would disagree there, how could you possibly say they "deserve" to continue?

The only basis for sacking them, IMO, is that they implimented the rest and rotation policy, which was never likely to work. You can't blame them for our teams poor performance at the World Cup, they can't do much more than they did. In the end, the players are professional athletes and they have to take some of the stick themselves.

Feel really bad for Anton Oliver and Byron Kelleher, it happened to them 8 years ago too